[Archived] City Want Sven

[Paul Mellelieu]

From the Guardian link Philip posted

EgalitarianDreamer

June 22, 2007 6:33 AM

Bangkok/tha

Before I could even see, my vision was tainted sky blue. Hours after I was born my Dad's mate registered me as a junior blue (Man city junior supporters club). One of my first images is of a poster on my wall as a young boy. I remember a black guy with an afro who stood out on the team photo (I think his name was Dave Bennett?). There are plenty of picture as me as a small boy, beaming in my sky blue kit, sponsored by Phillips, or was it saab?

Throughout all of those 26 years It's never been much fun to be a city fan. We're the team that gets relegated, that always manages to mess everything up, that employed such footbal luminaries as Alan Ball, Frank Clarke, Phil Neal, Alfons Gronendike, Laurent Charvet and Gerry Creaney. At school it was cool to support United, but for me that made it much cooler to support City. I went even when we were in the third division and getting beat by Lincoln and Barnet. In spite of all the ###### I never wavered from my dedication to the cause. We were the family club, the real manchester club. We didn't care if we lost as long as we played with heart. While we were falling through the divisions our local rivals were cheating and moaning their way to countless trophies. Not once did I ever wish I was a United fan. They won trophies by employing players like Roy Keane, Paul Ince and Mark Hughes and having a whingeing manager with a stopwatch and a frown.

Today that has all changed.

I should be delighted. Twenty six years might be finally coming to an end. Twenty six years of no trophies, hardly any good players and public ridicule may be over as our night in shining armour has rolled into town. Thaksin Shinawat, former Prime Minister of Thailand has bought out the controlling stake in the club and promised to spend big on renovating the squad, most fans are delighted. After all of these years we may be able to compete with the big boys and win something, that should make me feel great. It doesn't. Quite the opposite in fact.

I lived under Thaksin's rule and saw first hand the kind of person he is and how he has made his money. I'm not sure what my favourite 'Thaksin moment' is, perhaps the death squads roaming the streets during his infamous 'war on drugs'? Perhaps it was when he gave government aid to the burmese military junta in order for them to buy satellitte acess from his personal company? The destruction of democracy? The mess of an airport that stands as monument to his corruption? Mass media manipluation? Or was it him using the country as his own personal piggy bank in oder to further the wealth of him and his family? There are so many examples of that final one it's untrue. Selling government land to his wife at a massively reduced price, subsidising his private television station with governmet money, buying a 50% stake in AirAsia in order to grant them a license to fly within the country. There are plenty more......

I can't support him. I can't watch Manchester City knowing that everything that I am seeing is funded by him. I won't pay for another piece of merchandise or a ticket until he's gone. I know it's a big statement but I just can't support what he stands for. If that means cutting off a part of my life which has been me since birth, then so be it. I can't imagine watching a game and seeing that smug square faced ###### in the stands while he is wanted for arrest over here. If a man has no morals how can he truly be a man?

So that's it. I'm an official football widower. I can never remarry, there will be no other, but my one true love has turned into a cheap whore on the arm of the local crook and I can't overlook it. It's like the man who raped your wife (she was a cheap hussy but that's not the point) offering to pay for a night on the town for you to make up for it. Or the man who robbed your life savings giving you a 100 quid back to ease the pain.

I hope for all my friends and family that the team go on to do great things, win the trophies that I have dreamed about us winning, sign the players I have dreamt about us signing and thoroughly stuff United every time they play them. Maybe this is just an initial reaction and it will become easier with time. I doubt it.

[thenodrog]

Lets play Devils advocate Paul......

quote name='Paul Mellelieu' post='521002' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:49 ']I lived under Thaksin's rule and saw first hand the kind of person he is and how he has made his money. I'm not sure what my favourite 'Thaksin moment' is, perhaps the death squads roaming the streets during his infamous 'war on drugs'? Our army killed a few in Afghanistan and Iraq too?

Perhaps it was when he gave government aid to the burmese military junta in order for them to buy satellitte acess from his personal company? BAC and the Saudia's?

The destruction of democracy? Is that concept all bad? I'd guess we'd be able to save the planet far more easily if the major powers did not operate in a democratic form of govt. Also our lot play ducks and drakes with boundary changes all the time. More people voted Tory than New Lab I believe last time... so whats that all about then?

The mess of an airport that stands as monument to his corruption? Dome / Wembley / Olympics etc

Mass media manipluation? Murdoch's Sun put New Labour in power if we cast our minds back.

Or was it him using the country as his own personal piggy bank in oder to further the wealth of him and his family? There are so many examples of that final one it's untrue. Selling government land to his wife at a massively reduced price, subsidising his private television station with governmet money, buying a 50% stake in AirAsia in order to grant them a license to fly within the country. There are plenty more...... Indeed

Overall our kind of guy I'd suggest.

[philipl]

That post is just sick 'drog. It demeans the guy who wrote the heartfelt piece in the Grauniad.

I also have friends in Thailand and this guy's reaction to Thaksin is calm and contained. I am sad to say it but the Thai Generals proved the exception to the rule so far as military intervention against a civilian elected Government is concerned.

[OscarRaven]

Here we go again.......

[philipl]

Sorry OR- typed in haste but the comparisons are far fetched imaginings to say the least.

Back to or perhaps backup. Sparky is not mentioned but anyone who can count to three will realise that the BBC do not get beyond mentioning two alternate names. Perhaps Jack should have named Hodgson as official backup at the same time he appointed Sven.

[American]

That post is just sick 'drog. It demeans the guy who wrote the heartfelt piece in the Grauniad.

I also have friends in Thailand and this guy's reaction to Thaksin is calm and contained. I am sad to say it but the Thai Generals proved the exception to the rule so far as military intervention against a civilian elected Government is concerned.

Valid points all of them. Nothing he has done there that the Labour government hasn't. One man's tyrant is another man's glorious leader...

[thenodrog]

Thank you American.....

That post is just sick 'drog. It demeans the guy who wrote the heartfelt piece in the Grauniad.

I disagree. It's not sick in any way. Cynical? maybe, perceptive? possibly but not sick! You do seem to get increasingly confused and mixed up with your choice of adjectives Pip.

Which reminds me..... neither is it libellous!

Oh btw this is distasteful to the point of being sick.

http://www.brfcs.co.uk/mb/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=521024

[blue phil]

That post is just sick 'drog. It demeans the guy who wrote the heartfelt piece in the Grauniad.

I also have friends in Thailand and this guy's reaction to Thaksin is calm and contained. I am sad to say it but the Thai Generals proved the exception to the rule so far as military intervention against a civilian elected Government is concerned.

No arguing please ....

Let's face it ; in that part of the world , military or civilian - they're all dodgy and up to the eyeballs in it

[Flopsy]

shame about Scarbourgh wasnt it?

Shame each club in the prem couldnt have donated some money to help them out, still, at least we're looking out for grass roots football

[HairwayToSteven]

If Sven doesn't come, then Hughes will according to The Guardian. Don't know how worried I am, this could easily be nonsense.

[RevidgeBlue]

If Sven doesn't come, then Hughes will according to The Guardian.

Starting to become a bit of a reoccurring theme this isn't it?

Let's hope to god Sven accepts then it isn't put to the test.

[herbergeehh]

Why the hell would he even consider it?? He's made a team here, the club has most likely got financial strengthening coming, and he's an ex-Red. The only thing City's got is - for now - money and a bigger fan base. Get Sven, don't push your luck"!

[RevidgeBlue]

Why the hell would he even consider it?? He's made a team here, the club has most likely got financial strengthening coming, and he's an ex-Red. The only thing City's got is - for now - money and a bigger fan base. Get Sven, don't push your luck"!

Don't disagree with you, but when the same rumour starts cropping up from different sources you have to wonder if there's anything in it.

I also laughed it off as unthinkable originally. But could the takeover uncertainty at our place have a bearing? You never know and I'd rather it wasn't put to the test tbh.

[LeChuck]

The only thing City's got is - for now - money and a bigger fan base.

You know, I wasn't at all worried about Hughes moving to City, until you put it like that.

Now I am quite worried. What do we have to keep him here? A better quality squad, but one he could probably match quite quickly at City with a £50 million budget.

[Paul Mellelieu]

The Hughes link is very worrying, but may be being used to put pressure on SGE.

P.s Not time or place to answer 'drog's wretched post, but Labour beat the tories by 3% in 2005.

[thenodrog]

More people voted Tory than New Lab I believe last time... so whats that all about then? [/b]

P.s Not time or place to answer 'drog's wretched post, but Labour beat the tories by 3% in 2005.

Sorry Paul your point is correct, but more than a touch pedantic. I should have inserted the words 'in England' between New Lab and that would have validated my statement completely.

btw 'wretched post'? You stated that you and your mates consider us all backward compared to the intellectually superior beings in Moss Side / Longsight etc. Well I must be so will you explain to us all whats wretched about it?

[AlanK]

Now what were we talkin about?

Ah yes, Hughes and City.

I`m in agreement with Jim. I`m convinced Hughes is more than happy at Ewood and will only leave when he feels a big job comes up. It might be Utd, it might not. What about replacing Wenger? Stranger things have happened.

[blue phil]

Strange that Ericson's agent didn't have a clue about City's interest in him . Sven is one shifty bloke - if I was a City fan I'd know who I'd want , UTD connection or not .

All in all it probably puts pressure on our board to sort things out one way or another pretty sharpish .

[tcj_jones]

I have a feeling that Hughes might replace Wenger at Arsenal in a years time...

[Blue blood]

As a rovers fan this summer has not been a pleasant one:

I'm worried that a takeover might be detrimental to the club and the fans.

I'm worried Benni might go and we do not replace him, heck I'm worried no one has come in or been strongly linked with us yet.

I'm worried a big club (not Birmingham) will come in for Hughes. For a while Chelsea looked like they would be hunting around, now maybe it'll be Arsenal.

One thing I'm definately now worried about is Hughes going to City. Why would he? His next step would be to a significantly bigger club than rovers, and in terms of the quality and promise of the side and the financial situation, City cannot be considered bigger than rovers let alone significantly bigger.

How many of the City team would get into the rovers squad? Richards, Dunne maybe, Barton has laready gone, after that I can't think of any. Even to get up to the quality of the rovers team would take city a budget of £20 + million. And given the way their take over is stalling and on and off, the club can hardly be said to be better off financially.

Even if we diregard whether City or Rovers are bigger/more attractive an option then there is no way that City can be considered to be in the same bracket as the top 4/6 that Hughes would be looking to move to. City are light years away from the big 4, and there are lots of potential jobs that Hughes can be looking at for the next stage of his career coming up.

Therefore one thing I won't be worrying about, is City tempting our manager away.

[Billy Castell]

I know what you mean. All the constant news of the entire team and management leaving, and the uncertainty over the takeovers are getting me down. I am a bit more concerned about Citeh than Blueblood, as the Thai guy may be able to smuggle a big budget for the next manager, and maybe Hughes might like the challenge of trying to run the Manchester Clown College. Mind you, I can also see him thinking Blackburn is a job not quite done and would like to have a go at working with whoever takes over. That's the annoying thing about uncertainty, you don't know where you stand!

[Blue blood]

Look at it this way:

We - pending injuries are a top 6/7 team imo. Assuming that Dunne and Richards would get in a combined side - that leaves 9 rovers standard players to get before getting a top 6/7 team. To me this would cost the following: (assuming that these players would be selected)

Friedel £1m, Nelsen £3m, Warnock £2.5m, Reid £3.5m, Savage £1m, Bentley £6m, Pedersen £6m, Benni £8m and Roberts £3m.

To get a team comparable with us that makes £30 million - and thats excluding the fact that it's a squad game these days. That's a heck of a transfer budget just to get City challenging in the top half of the table, let alone give them any sort of advantage. I realise it's not quite as simplistic and you can get players to perform better/worse but as a rough guide it shows how much work is needed to be done on City.

[Billy Castell]

True, I suppose there is also the fact that it is Man City. You'd be worrying about losing Hughes........................and then the City board appoint someone like John Still (ex-Barnet manager) or Terry Venables to take over at The Theatre of Base Comedy.

[Finch]

Where do these idiot journos get their ideas. not long ago we were hearing that Hughes wasn't interested in leaving.

BOG OFF MAN CITY

[John]

I don't think he would leave us now but if he did go we would be fecked, especially with the uncertainty of the takeover at present.